Kawakami: Who's shaping the Raiders' future?

If you want to ponder an overriding football philosophy that could steer Raiders owner Mark Davis deep into the future, I think I would focus more on their most famous former coach than anybody else ...

That would be Jon Gruden, of course.

Now, let me be clear: Gruden is not calling the shots for the Raiders, Reggie McKenzie is.

And Gruden is not coaching the Raiders, Dennis Allen is.

Also, I've written many times that -- despite repeated rumor-mill rippling about Gruden being interested in returning to the Raiders and Davis being interested in bringing him back -- a Great Gruden Return to Oakland doesn't seem immediately likely.

But I think Davis might have some thoughts in this regard, and I think he might have some feelings about players who might qualify as Gruden-types.

Two things are a given about NFL teams' eternal quest to hire Gruden ...

1) He will want a ton of money and a ton of power.

I think we can all presume Davis is giving McKenzie and Allen one more year to get this team on the right track, and if they don't, the Raiders logically will be looking for a new G.M. and coach, and Gruden or somebody else could theoretically take both jobs.

The Raiders don't have a lot of money, but the recent string of short-term deals to middle-aged veterans leaves open the idea of great salary cap space into the near future.

And even if Davis' cash flow isn't good, and his stadium situation remains a bummer, the idea of bringing back Gruden might be worth the extravagant expenditure, at least theoretically.

2) And Gruden will, at the very least, want a good young quarterback in place and probably other very good players in important positions.

Gruden doesn't want to spend the first few years of his next gig -- possibly the job that will define him, if he ditches the TV career -- searching frantically for a quarterback and other good players in order to avoid 7-9 seasons.

If he gets back into the NFL, he will want a quarterback sitting there waiting for his teaching.

So ...

Would Gruden hypothetically want the Raiders to forget about a pass rusher or receiver with the No. 5 draft pick and take Johnny Manziel?

He doesn't fit Allen's model for a young quarterback -- he has made it clear he loves what Drew Brees brings as a leader and a pocket presence, and that's not Manziel right now. But Gruden seemed to go a little gaga over Manziel last month (I know, Gruden goes a little gaga over every player he sees, but it seemed a little different with Manziel) ...

Would Gruden lean to Blake Bortles? He sure saw a ton of the Central Florida quarterback because that's where Gruden is based. Teddy Bridgewater? Derek Carr?

Might be good to know Gruden's true feelings, you think?

Would Gruden want wide receiver Sammy Watkins? Or would he understand the need for a defensive playmaker if Khalil Mack is there?

I'm not saying any of this is likely or that it is at all easy or wise for a franchise to be run by one set of guys ... with the owner possibly wondering how another guy would want the roster set up.

And I think it's at best a 25 percent shot Gruden would even realistically consider taking over a coach/G.M./president role with the Raiders in the next few years. But 25 percent is better than zero percent and 4-12 or 6-10 every year.

So, if you're trying to figure out why some of these things are or aren't happening with the Raiders, and how some things might be decided in the future, I think Gruden is the powerful unspoken and indirect presence, even if he isn't saying anything.